Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Research Briefing
  • Published:

Comparative genomics uncover the evolutionary history of butterfly and moth chromosomes

Using over 200 chromosomal genomes to reconstruct 250 million years of evolutionary history, we define the 32 linkage groups (Merian elements) that were present in the ancestor of Lepidoptera. We chart the dynamics of chromosome fusion and fission that accompanied the global diversification of Lepidoptera.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: Widespread conservation of Merian elements in Lepidoptera with intermittent fusion events.

References

  1. Lucek, K. et al. The impact of chromosomal rearrangements in speciation: from micro- to macroevolution. Cold Spring Harbor Perspect. Biol. 15, a041447 (2023). A review that discusses the effect of chromosomal rearrangements on speciation and outlines the advances that will enable a broader understanding of the evolutionary relevance of these events.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Vara, C. et al. The impact of chromosomal fusions on 3D genome folding and recombination in the germ line. Nat. Commun. 12, 2981 (2021). This paper demonstrates the effect of chromosome fusions on three-dimensional genome architecture during meiosis, which in turn perturbs patterns of chromosomal interactions, chromosomal synapsis and recombination patterns in mouse germ cells.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Robinson, R. Lepidoptera Genetics (Pergamon, 1971). This book is a central resource for chromosome number variation in Lepidoptera.

  4. The Darwin Tree of Life Project Consortium. Sequence locally, think globally: The Darwin Tree of Life Project. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 119, e2115642118 (2021). A perspective that outlines the ambitions and strategy of the Darwin Tree of Life project.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Lukhtanov, V. A. et al. Unprecedented within-species chromosome number cline in the wood white butterfly Leptidea sinapis and its significance for karyotype evolution and speciation. BMC Evol. Biol. 11, 109 (2011). This paper reports a marked range in chromosome number within Leptidea sinapis in a cline across Eurasia, in addition to variation within geographical regions and widespread chromosomal heterozygosity.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This is a summary of: Wright, C. J. et al. Comparative genomics reveals the dynamics of chromosome evolution in Lepidoptera. Nat. Ecol. Evol. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-024-02329-4 (2024)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Comparative genomics uncover the evolutionary history of butterfly and moth chromosomes. Nat Ecol Evol 8, 612–613 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-024-02341-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-024-02341-8

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing